Uttarakhand Cuisine :

There is a saying that 'the way to a man's heart is through his stomach'; the varied mouth-watering food delights prepared in Uttarakhand vividly exemplifies this phrase. The cuisine of Uttarankhand has diverse flavors, colors and ingredients. The food is tremendously wholesome to suit the high-energy necessities of the mountainous and wintry region.

Natives of Uttarakhand mostly eat a vegetarian meal though mutton and chicken are also savored. Rice is the indispensable food for the people of Uttarankhand .The liberal use of Ghee (clarified butter) and charcoal cooking makes the food of Uttarankhand, exotic. The best time to enjoy the best of Uttarankhand cuisine is during the festivals.

Uttarakhand is famous for its wide range of pulses. Bhatt or black soyabean is an alltime favourite with the local people. Rich in proteins and iron, bhatt is traditionally prepared in an iron kadhai to make chudkani, bhatwani and thatwani. To combat the extreme winters and possible exhausting of food, they also use Badi (sun-dried Urad Dal balls) and Mangodi (sun-dried Moong Dal balls) as substitute for vegetables . Traditionally, chapatis/rotis or breads are made from flour obtained from mandua (finger millet seeds) and buckwheat. Mandua roti, which is high in calcium, is generally consumed during the cold and harsh winters.Some species of millets such as kauni (fox tail millet) and jhangora (barnyard millet) replace rice and kheer as staple food. These millets are known to contain medicinal properties, and are easy on the stomach.

Some Popular Food in Uttarakhand are :

Aaloo Ke Gutke : One of the basic and most popular dishes in Uttarakhand, Aaloo (Potatoes) ke Gutke is a simple preparation where dry spices are roasted and used. Aaloo ke Gutke are best served with Puri and  Kheerein ka Raita (Cucumber and Curd preparation). This dish is seen mostly served on festivals.

Kafuli/ Kapaa : A delicious dish that is best enjoyed in the winter season, Kafuli or Kapaa is made by using spinach, lai ( the alternative of mustard leaf) and fenugreek leafs. The vegetable/s is cooked in an iron kadhai (utensil) and is then served with steaming rice.

 Phaanu : Phaanu has its origin in Garhwal Region of Uttarakhand. It is a complex preparation but very high in taste. To make this dish, lentils including the native Gahat Dal are soaked overnight and are cooked in a pot and served especially in the lunchtime.

Baadi : A quick fix for any meal of the day when you have no or less time to cook, Baadi is a popular dish from Garhwal Region of Uttarakhand. Used by adding Buckwheat Flour to the boiling water and served with ghee, this easy dish is scrumptious and is full of nutrients.

Chainsoo : Prepared by lentils (Urad or kali dal), Chainsoo is a famous preparation in Garhwal Region of Uttarakhand. The dish is cooked by roasting the lentils and then making a paste of it, which is then cooked in an iron pot over slow fire giving it quite an earthy taste.

Rus/ Thhatwani : A popular dish in Kumaon Region of Uttarakhand, Rus or Thhatwani is prepared by lentils, and thus it is high in nutrients. In this dish, the lentils are cooked on a low flame and a kind of stock is prepared, later the lentils are removed and the stock is served with rice alone.

 Dubuk/ Dubke : Dubuk or Dubke is the Kumaoni preparation in which local pulses like Gahat and Bhatt are soaked overnight and then made into a paste which is then cooked with some powdered spices in an iron pot. Dubke has a smooth texture and is quite a popular winter dish in the region of Kumaon in Uttarakhand.

Jhangore Ki Kheer : A scrumptious dessert, Jhangore ki Kheer is popular in Garhwal Region of Uttarakhand. The dish is prepared by using a kind of a millet called Jhangore that is cooked with a number of dry fruits to give that rich texture.

Sisunaak Sag : A peculiar kind of a preparation coming from Uttarakhand, Sisunaak Saag is not a dish that is frequently cooked in local households but it does have its uniqueness. Sisun or Bichhu Ghas is basically a plant that has thorns all over, and touching it even for a brief moment can cause itching in hands for several hours. However, a dish is prepared by this lethal-looking plant, for which it is put in hot water and then a paste of it is made. This paste is then cooked with tomato and ghee.

         Uttarakhand’s cuisine makes good use of local herbs and spices as taste enhancers. Typical condiments include jamboo (Allium stracheyi), kala jira (black cumin seeds), gandrayani (Angelica glauca) and jakhiya (Cleome viscose). Chutneys are made from bhangjeera (Perilla frutescens) and Til (sesame). The medicinal properties and health benefits of the State’s organically-produced ingredients ensure us the food is not only tasty but also nourishing. While visiting one can enjoy mouth-watering traditional & local cuisine.  

                  These cuisines represent Uttarakhand in its self with highlighting culture and tradition. Though organic food production in the State is rapidly gaining national and international recognition but still most of the traditional cuisines of the region are yet to gain popularity. This is primarily because the typically indigenous ingredients for preparing traditional delicacies are not easily available in other regions. So it is again a pull factor for the visitors to gain cultural experience in the state.